Bernie's Story
We are grateful to Bernie for allowing us to share his story
Bernie is a 67 year old Indigenous man in Edmonton who first came into contact with Boyle McCauley Health Centre through the CHC’s Miyowayawin Clinic. The clinic is a service provided by Boyle McCauley Health Centre (BMHC) onsite at the Edmonton Native Healing Centre.
Bernie accessed the centre’s foot care program for the first time in January 2016. After having the wound on his foot attended to, he became a regular at the foot care program and gradually started talking a bit more openly to Donna, one of BMHC’s nurses.
Bernie had been homeless – living on the streets, in the river valley, or “couch surfing” – for the past 6 years. He had multiple chronic illnesses including diabetes and heart disease; he was admittedly have challenges controlling his alcohol use; and, he had no access to a routine primary care provider.
Donna connected Bernie with Sandi, BMHC’s Nurse Practitioner at the clinic, from whom he now receives regular primary care. Over the past year Sandi has referred Bernie to an ophthalmologist and he has had cataract surgery. Bernie has also been referred to a detox program and is now many months sober. Through BMHC, Bernie has also been connected to permanent housing with an inner city seniors housing program.
As a regular client of multiple services provided by BMHC, Bernie is now at the centre of a circle of care and support that is there for him when and most often where he needs it.
Like Bernie, the 13,000-plus clients that access services and programs at BMHC have access to wrap around care through an interprofessional team. Chronic disease management, mental illness and addictions care, HIV care, Hepatitis C care are all integrated as part of regular primary health care services. The care team is comprised of nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, family doctors, psychiatrists, mental health and addictions counsellors, dentists, and outreach workers who work together with BMHC’s clients to address needs at the right time, in the right place, and by the most appropriate provider.
BMHC has on staff a dedicated Health Advocate. The Health Advocate acts as a resource for both the staff and clients at the centre in regard to housing, financial and legal issues, food and clothing issues, educational and employment opportunities, applications for social assistance, and more.
In addition to BMHC’s Health Advocate, social workers play an essential role. Social workers are always on site at BMHC’s main location, and are always able to help line someone up with services or to navigate services from a government agency.
If a client needs help with income tax, as part of addressing poverty or low-income, the Health Advocate connects the client to a volunteer who can help with that. If a client is interested in finding work or going back to school, BMHC provides support for resume writing, mock interviews, and other tools.
As needed, BMHC will also work with its clients on social assistance to establish third party payment plans in order to guarantee that a client’s rent gets paid when benefits checks go out. This helps mitigate the precariousness of housing.
BMHC also works actively to address food insecurity. They have two drop-in programs that provide a lunch and/or snacks, 5 days a week. One is the Kindred House program for women in the sex-trade to come in, be safe, and have a lunch. The other is the HAART House program for clients with HIV who are homeless. They come in for a nutritious lunch, prepared by a skilled, professional cook, and to take their medications with the support of one of BMHC’s nurses.
In BMHC’s Pathways to Housing program, staff work on skill building with individual clients. This includes development of budgeting skills and helping them to plan meals and grocery shop. And, on an ongoing basis, clients in need are also actively connected to a local food co-op called WECAN.
This is just a short list of some of the services and programs, across sectors, that are provided through BMHC. And Bernie is one of the 13,000-plus Edmonton residents that are able to benefit each year.
